Electronic terminals are well known by customers. For example, some electronic terminals may print or dispense items of value such as coupons, tickets, wagering slips, vouchers, checks, food stamps, money orders, or traveler's checks. Another common type of electronic terminal enables bank customers to engage in banking transactions without the assistance of a banking representative. These types of terminals are referred to as automated teller machines (“ATM”).
The types of transactions an ATM can perform are determined by the hardware and software capabilities of the specific machine. In particular, most ATMs enable customers to withdraw cash, deposit funds, transfer funds between accounts, and pay bills, without the assistance of a customer representative. For purposes of this disclosure, references to an ATM, an automated banking machine, or an automated transaction machine shall encompass any electronic terminal, which carries out customer transactions.
Automatic teller machines typically include a card reader, a personal identification pad, a vault, a cash dispenser, a receipt provider, and a central processing unit or computer. To begin a transaction, a user inserts an identification card into the card reader and enters his or her personal identification number (“PIN”) on the identification pad. The computer within the ATM verifies the accuracy of the PIN through an electronic network. If the user enters the correct PIN and the account is in good standing, the ATM completes the transaction(s) initiated by the user.
Like all computer controlled machines, ATMs may not function properly even though the user has inserted his or her identification card and provided the correct PIN. For example, the ATM may experience hardware problems if the cash dispenser or receipt provider were to become jammed or if the identification card reader were to become dirty. Additionally, some ATMs may experience software problems or faults, much like personal computers often do, that prevent users from initiating transactions. When problems or faults arise, the ATM may enter a stand-by mode that denies users access to the machine. Clearly, when in stand-by mode, ATMs become a source of frustration for operating organizations and the customers desiring to utilize the machines.
Traditionally, when an ATM experiences a problem or fault a bank representative places a telephone call or sends an electronic message to a remotely located terminal monitoring solution indicating that the ATM has experienced a technical problem. In-house technicians receive these incoming calls or messages and dispatch field technicians to each nonfunctional ATM. The field technicians travel to the faulty ATMs and conduct a series of diagnostic checks to identify the cause of the error signal. Once a technician determines the cause of the error signal, he or she initiates a corrective action to return the ATM to working order.
Sending field technicians to nonfunctional ATMs ensures that the ATMs will eventually be returned to working order; however, the process consumes time and resources. Consider that while an ATM is not working properly, customers must either search for another machine or wait for a technician to arrive at the inoperable machine, setup diagnostic equipment, attempt to solve the problem, and initiate a corrective action. Of course, the repair process consumes even more time when the technician must make multiple trips to the ATM in order to initiate a corrective action. For example, on the first trip the technician might be able to diagnose the problem; however, he or she may then have to travel back to the terminal monitoring solution to pick up the parts required to fix the ATM. Furthermore, organizations that own or rent ATMs also suffer during delays in operation caused by problems and faults. For instance, when an ATM at a bank experiences a fault, customers who can no longer use the ATM impose an increased load upon the bank tellers. Specifically, customers that would normally complete transactions at the ATM must now go inside the bank, wait in line with the other customers, and speak with a bank teller to complete the transactions. Likewise, when ATMs located within retail establishments experience faults, customers may not have access to cash, resulting in lost revenue for the store. Therefore, while field technicians may often resolve the problems experienced by ATMs the repair process places significant burdens on each involved party.
As the use of ATMs and other electronic terminals becomes more prolific, the number of problems and faults experienced by ATMs will also increase. Thus, ATMs may become a major expense and burden for organizations to service if each time faults or problems occur field technicians must travel to the ATM to diagnose and repair the problem. Therefore, it is desirable to improve the method with which ATM faults and problems are corrected.